


You Only Live Nine Times

by IAmTheHero



Series: Catharsis [4]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Gen, Might write a full story later, Not Beta Read, Thrush x Leopard, Thrushpelt deserved better, Thrushpelt mentored Tigerpaw, Thrushstar, Tigerpaw is Tigerpelt after his dad, What-If, because they're cute, we die like the men Kirishima wants us to be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27173035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAmTheHero/pseuds/IAmTheHero
Summary: Thrushpelt gets nine lives.
Relationships: Thrushpelt/Leopardfoot
Series: Catharsis [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984232
Comments: 12
Kudos: 17





	You Only Live Nine Times

**ThunderClan**

**Leader:** Thrushstar - pale ginger tom with a white locket, paws, and green eyes

 **Deputy:** Stormtail - blue tom with blue eyes

 **Medicine cat:** Featherwhisker - ginger mackerel tabby tom with green eyes and particularly long whiskers

Apprentice, Spottedpaw

**Warriors**

Dappletail - tortoiseshell and white molly with yellow eyes

White-eye - dark gray molly with yellow eyes, one of which is blind

Apprentice, Siltpaw

Oakheart - cinnamon mackerel tabby tom with blue eyes

Patchpelt - cinnamon tom with white spots and amber eyes

Apprentice, Mistypaw

Bluefur - blue classic tabby molly with blue eyes

Shadefur - blue classic tabby molly with blue eyes and a twisted foreleg

Thistleclaw - ginger classic tabby tom with green eyes and a scarred pelt

Rosetail - tortoiseshell molly with a particularly bushy ginger tail and green eyes

Cloudheart - solid gray tom with yellow eyes and thick fur around his neck

Mousefur - gray molly with yellow eyes

Runningwind - light gray spotted tabby tom with amber eyes

Stonefoot - tiny black tom with a white paw and blue eyes

Apprentice, Mosspaw

Tigerpelt - chocolate mackerel tabby tom with amber eyes and long claws

Apprentice, Longpaw

Skystorm - blue classic tabby tom with green eyes

Frostblaze - white molly with yellow eyes and a missing ear

Fogleap - white molly with green eyes

**Apprentices**

Mistypaw - blue classic tabby molly with blue eyes

Siltpaw - black mackerel tabby tom with blue eyes

Mosspaw - dark gray classic tabby molly with blue eyes

Longpaw - fawn classic tabby tom with a long tail and yellow eyes

Spottedpaw - dilute tortoiseshell molly with amber eyes

**Queens**

Speckletail - cinnamon classic tabby molly with blue eyes (resident denmother)

Leopardfoot - chocolate spotted tabby molly with amber eyes (mother of Rainkit and Falconkit)

Goldenflower - cinnamon classic tabby molly with blue eyes (mother of Swiftkit and Fallenkit)

**Kits**

Rainkit - fawn-cream tortoiseshell and white molly with amber eyes

Falconkit - dark brown spotted tabby tom with white spots with amber eyes

Swiftkit - cinnamon and white classic tabby tom with amber eyes

Fallenkit - cinnamon mackerel tabby molly with white splotches and amber eyes

**Elders**

Smallear - pale gray tom with yellow eyes and small, battle torn ears

Sparrowpelt - large chocolate spotted tabby tom with amber eyes and a missing tail

Goosefeather - gray spotted tabby tom with blue eyes and unusually short whiskers

Poppydawn - dark ginger mackerel molly with a bushy tail, gray muzzle, and amber eyes

Deerpelt - fawn molly with blind yellow eyes and a scarred face

* * *

Mothermouth gaped wide and dark. Light reached a couple tail-lengths in before fading. Just looking into the murky depths caused my fur to prickle. Yet, just to my right, Featherwhisker sat with his face to the sky, calm and collected as always as he tracked the moon's progress. It was nearly full, a couple days before the Gathering no doubt. A new wave of anxiety ran down my spine for different reasons.

Featherwhisker stood. His movement broke me from my thoughts. He nodded toward the cave and walked straight inside. I had no choice but to follow lest I lose him. Our pawsteps echoed in the confines space. Flesh on stone made sound no matter how softly we treaded. The air grew thick and damp, and a distinctive heavy clay smell infiltrated my nose. The last time I was here, Tawnyspots and Dappletail were with me with our mentors on the apprentice pilgrimage. Now, silence and a medicine cat were my only company. Thankfully, Featherwhisker remained near enough for my whiskers to feel his tail tip. I didn't want to think about what would happen if I got lost.

A bright light appeared at the end of the tunnel. My eyes screwed up against it, it was so bright. Featherwhisker picked up the pace until we essentially sprinted. We arrived in the cavern, panting but on time. He settled by the Moonstone and touched it with his nose. I hesitated, but copied him.

Stars flew across my vision, and I found myself at Fourtrees. Countless concourses of cats with all sorts of fur colors and patterns stood around the hollow and disappeared over the lip, but it was the nine forms in front of the Great Rock that held my attention. I recognized most of them, with only one unfamiliar face among them.

They spoke in unison, with power and wisdom. "Thrushpelt, are you ready to receive your name and lives?"

"I am." I puffed out my chest. If I was nervous, fight it off with confidence.

Pinestar strolled forward, his tail flicking back and forth. He looked far younger than when I last saw him, and even his scars on his muzzle, which had taken residence on his face as long as I could remember, were gone. He easily rested his muzzle on my head. "I give you a life for peace. When the storms of life toss you around, remember things will calm."

My body raced with energy waiting to burst. Despite all my efforts, my tail lashed around like a captured snake. I had to move, to do something. There was something important. As the emotional pressure built to the point of pain, it vanished just as fast. My legs shook.

 _That was_ one _life?_

Pinestar ducked away, and Sweetpaw took his place. She looked so much like Dappletail, except the ears and eyes. One would think they were littermates instead of half-siblings. I bent my head slightly.

"My life is for hope. Never forget that the sun rises every day."

A warmth filled my belly. It spread through ivy-like tendrils around my body, from my chest to my toes and hindquarters and even my nose until every inch of me shared the sensation. As Sweetpaw broke away and it faded, I murmured, "I'm sorry for how I treated you, Sweetpaw."

Her eyes gleamed. "We have an entire afterlife to make up," she pointed out. "But don't come too soon."

Next was Windflight. He stood tall and strong, and his body showcased his joy and hesitation. Although we spoke after Sweetpaw's death and came to an understanding, our relationship was never what one would consider normal father-son. There was always a hint of drawback, of pain. I was sick of it, and clearly, so was he.

"Hi, Dad."

There. I said it. For the first time ever, I called him Dad. The tension flooded from his form, and I was concerned he'd fall over. But he didn't and offered a life of honesty.

Mistkit brought me joy. Nightkit had her determination. Oakstar, Pinestar's father, gave me mercy. Tawnyspots and his strategy. Sunstar's wisdom. My body ached, and I wanted to sleep for a thousand seasons. _One more life._

The ninth cat was shrouded in shadow. The lights on their fur were the only indication of their existence. They stepped into the light.

My heart skipped a beat. "Mom!" I had enough self control to avoid running to her, although my paws itched to do so.

Mom was always beautiful, but I remembered how thin and pointy she was when I was a kit. She had looked like a pelt draped over a dead bush. Now, her ginger and white fur shone sleek, and there was actual substance on her bones. She no longer looked like a starving queen.

She nuzzled me and assaulted my face with licks. I allowed her and took in her scent. Memories of my kithood came to mind, for while it was hard with the Great Hunger, it was among the happiest times of my life, second to the birth of my kits. Speaking of. "I named my daughter after you. Rainkit."

"I know, my baby. Oh, how I miss you. But the night draws to a close. We can't stay here forever."

I bowed my head once more. "This life I give is for duty. ThunderClan is your family, and you are the patriarch. It is your duty to keep them safe and to lead well."

An overpowering wave of love swamped me in an emotional tsunami. This time, my legs gave out, and I hit the ground with a soft thump. My cats, my Clan, my family, looked up to me for guidance and protection. I refused to let them down.

Mom stepped back to the line, though she moved to stand by Dad. Their fur brushed. "We welcome you by your new name, Thrushstar. Your old life is no more. May the stars guide your path."

I blinked awake. It was anticlimactic. Featherwhisker sat nearby, washing his fur. "Welcome, Thrushstar. Should we be getting back to camp?"

I stretched. "That's a good idea. I hope Falconkit didn't try to escape again."

"Like father, like son."

"I wasn't that bad."

As we bickered, I cast a glance back at the Moonstone. _Good night, Thrushpelt. Good morning, Thrushstar._

**Author's Note:**

> I was debating about whether or not to publish this. Clearly, you can see how that turned out.


End file.
